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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 116 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. spell — a short time
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. staff — employees
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. staff — employees
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mark — a grade
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. tear — to rip
  20. rock — music
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. chair — a leader
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — a stone

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