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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. prune — to trim
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. ball — a great time
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. vault — a safe
  12. ball — a dance
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com