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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. suit — clothes
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — temperature
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ball — a dance
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. degree — an amount
  14. rest — what's left
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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