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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. object — to protest
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. court — of a king
  5. object — a thing
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. lean — thin
  8. object — an aim
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mate — to breed
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pitch — completely
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. court — of law
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. court — for sport

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