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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. chest — of your body
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. root — the cause
  9. ball — a great time
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. chest — a box
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. chest — of your body
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. root — of a word
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. fine — all right
  22. rock — a stone
  23. vault — a safe
  24. root — of a plant

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