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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. last — to go on
  4. object — a thing
  5. ball — a great time
  6. march — the month
  7. charge — in control
  8. ball — a dance
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. object — to protest
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. charge — a price
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. object — an aim
  16. vault — a safe
  17. charge — electricity
  18. toast — bread
  19. roll — a cake
  20. last — final
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. last — finally
  24. roll — a list

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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