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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. row — to paddle
  4. track — to keep track
  5. present — the time now
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. club — for dancing
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. track — a song
  10. lean — to bend
  11. track — a path
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. club — for golf
  15. lean — thin
  16. wound — an injury
  17. club — a group
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. present — there
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. vault — a safe
  23. present — a gift
  24. row — a line

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