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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bear — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. band — a ring
  10. fall — the season
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. band — a music group
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bear — to put up with

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