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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. club — for dancing
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. club — for golf
  6. fall — the season
  7. season — in sport
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pitch — completely
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. club — a group
  15. pop — music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. fall — to drop
  19. season — of the year
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pop — soda

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