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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. saw — the tool
  3. swing — in golf
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mate — a partner
  8. vault — a safe
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. shower — to wash
  11. track — a path
  12. object — an aim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. shower — rain
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. object — to protest
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mate — a friend
  20. track — to keep track
  21. object — a thing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. swing — music
  24. mate — to breed

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