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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. staff — employees
  3. roll — a list
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mug — a cup
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mug — a face
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rock — music
  12. march — music
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mug — to rob
  15. staff — employees
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. march — the month
  18. vault — a safe
  19. march — the month
  20. staff — a stick
  21. rock — a stone
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pound — a weight
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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