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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. present — there
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pop — to visit
  12. stock — shares
  13. pop — soda
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pop — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — goods
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. snap — to click
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rush — hurry

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