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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. charge — electricity
  5. roll — a list
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. vault — a safe
  8. spring — the season
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. charge — a price
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. charge — in control
  13. roll — a cake
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. firm — decided
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. spring — of water
  20. firm — a company
  21. prune — to trim
  22. firm — steady
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. prune — to trim

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