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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. staff — employees
  4. firm — steady
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. firm — decided
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hand — in cards
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. staff — employees
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fine — high quality
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. content — happy
  22. firm — a company
  23. hand — help
  24. staff — a stick

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