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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. track — a song
  5. wake — a trail
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rock — music
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. track — to keep track
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rock — a stone
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. track — a path
  21. scale — size or range
  22. vault — a safe
  23. scale — in music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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