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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. row — a line
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. row — to paddle
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. vault — a safe
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. object — to protest
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. object — an aim

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