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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pop — soda
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. present — the time now
  7. wake — a trail
  8. field — for sport
  9. pop — to visit
  10. present — a gift
  11. mark — a trace
  12. present — there
  13. object — to protest
  14. pop — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — an aim
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. field — farmland
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. field — a subject
  24. mark — a grade

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