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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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rock — a stone
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. court — for sport
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. court — of law
  12. file — a tool
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rock — music
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. ball — a great time
  20. file — a document
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. court — of a king
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. deal — an agreement

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