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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. firm — steady
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. roll — a cake
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. club — a group
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. firm — a company
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mark — a grade
  14. firm — decided
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. lean — thin
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — for dancing
  23. roll — a list
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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