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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rest — what's left
  5. sharp — clever
  6. swing — music
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. swing — to play on
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. race — a contest
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. race — humankind
  15. rest — what's left
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. race — the arms race
  19. swing — in golf
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rest — a break
  22. vault — a safe
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. pass — to spend time

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