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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. perch — the fish
  4. court — of a king
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. staff — employees
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. object — to protest
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. court — of law
  18. staff — a stick
  19. object — an aim
  20. wound — an injury
  21. staff — employees
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. court — for sport

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