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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. vault — a safe
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. prune — to trim
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. object — to protest
  13. kid — child
  14. object — a thing
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mark — a trace
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mark — a grade
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. scale — in music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. object — an aim
  23. kid — to tease
  24. prune — the fruit

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