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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. object — an aim
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. last — final
  6. object — a thing
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. roll — a list
  9. staff — employees
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ball — a great time
  12. roll — a cake
  13. staff — a stick
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. last — finally
  16. cap — of ice
  17. staff — employees
  18. cap — a lid
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. object — to protest
  24. cap — a hat

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