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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bass — low music
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cell — in biology
  5. club — for dancing
  6. object — an aim
  7. club — for golf
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. object — a thing
  10. cell — a phone
  11. present — a gift
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. present — the time now
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pound — a weight
  19. club — a group
  20. present — there
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. vault — a safe
  24. object — to protest

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