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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.

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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pop — music
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. vault — a safe
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — to visit
  8. object — an aim
  9. content — the amount
  10. pitch — completely
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. object — to protest
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. swing — music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. content — happy
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pop — soda
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. object — a thing

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