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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. season — of the year
  4. vault — a safe
  5. firm — steady
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rash — a series
  9. firm — decided
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pop — music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pop — to visit
  15. cap — a hat
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rash — hasty
  18. firm — a company
  19. cap — a lid
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pop — soda
  24. straw — a straw man

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