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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. track — a song
  3. mug — a cup
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. club — for golf
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. can — a tin
  8. track — to keep track
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. can — to be able to
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. object — an aim
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mug — to rob
  16. club — a group
  17. mug — a face
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. can — a tin
  20. object — to protest
  21. band — a ring
  22. track — a path
  23. vault — a safe
  24. band — a music group

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