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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. file — a tool
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a document
  11. hand — help
  12. pop — to visit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rock — music
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mark — a trace
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pop — soda
  24. rock — to move gently

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