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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. vault — a safe
  13. roll — a list
  14. bound — certain
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. spell — letters
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — final
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. last — finally
  24. spell — a short time

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