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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. row — a line
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. firm — decided
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. file — a document
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pitch — completely
  11. row — to paddle
  12. firm — a company
  13. dip — to sink
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. object — a thing
  17. file — a tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. firm — steady
  20. object — an aim
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. file — a line of people

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