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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rock — music
  7. march — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. march — the month
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. club — for dancing
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. club — a group
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rock — a stone
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. club — for golf
  24. march — the month

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