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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rest — a break
  5. firm — steady
  6. object — a thing
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stem — to come from
  10. object — to protest
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. firm — decided
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. court — of a king
  17. rash — a series
  18. rest — what's left
  19. court — for sport
  20. spring — the season
  21. rest — what's left
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. firm — a company
  24. court — of law

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