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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cap — a hat
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — to wash
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — to keep track
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. vault — a safe
  15. track — a path
  16. firm — steady
  17. shower — rain
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. track — a song
  20. cap — of ice
  21. firm — decided
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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