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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. land — to come down
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. land — ground
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. track — a song
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. track — to keep track
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. land — a country
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. vault — a safe
  20. track — a path
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — in football
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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