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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bear — the animal
  4. court — of law
  5. mug — to rob
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. court — for sport
  12. mug — a face
  13. vault — a safe
  14. degree — temperature
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pop — soda
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. court — of a king
  21. pop — to visit
  22. degree — from a university
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. degree — an amount

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