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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. clip — for paper
  5. staff — employees
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. clip — a video
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. staff — employees
  11. can — a tin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. clip — to cut
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. staff — a stick
  20. vault — a safe
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. scale — in music
  24. jam — in traffic

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