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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. drill — the tool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. vault — a safe
  8. drill — army training
  9. squash — the sport
  10. suit — to fit
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pop — soda
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pop — to visit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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