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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — decided
  9. pit — in a race
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. firm — a company
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pit — a hole
  15. firm — steady
  16. staff — employees
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. staff — employees
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rest — a break
  24. hand — in cards

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