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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. band — a ring
  5. wound — an injury
  6. can — a tin
  7. band — a music group
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pop — music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pop — soda
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. can — a tin
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pop — to visit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wound — an injury

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