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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. object — a thing
  5. pop — to visit
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. scale — size or range
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pop — music
  11. lie — to recline
  12. object — to protest
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bark — to shout
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. object — an aim
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pop — soda
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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