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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bore — to tire
  7. staff — employees
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — steady
  10. pop — music
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. sharp — clever
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bore — to drill
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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