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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. prune — to trim
  3. kick — in football
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pass — a permit
  10. roll — a cake
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. roll — a list
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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