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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. scale — in music
  3. track — a path
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. track — to keep track
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pit — in a race
  12. game — wild animals
  13. firm — a company
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. firm — steady
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. firm — decided
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. game — a match
  22. wake — a trail
  23. track — a song
  24. game — a kind of play

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