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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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468
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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pound — a weight
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — an amount
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pit — in a race
  11. staff — employees
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stand — to bear
  15. degree — from a university
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. staff — a stick
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. staff — employees

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