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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rest — what's left
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. vault — a safe
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fine — high quality
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bass — the fish
  16. spell — magic
  17. fine — all right
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. spell — a short time
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. spell — letters
  23. rest — a break
  24. coach — a trainer

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