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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. firm — a company
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. court — of law
  8. firm — steady
  9. scale — in music
  10. court — of a king
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. court — for sport
  16. rock — music
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mark — a grade
  22. scale — size or range
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. firm — decided

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