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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pop — music
  3. track — a path
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. vault — a safe
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. track — to keep track
  8. firm — a company
  9. pop — to visit
  10. spell — magic
  11. cap — a lid
  12. firm — decided
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. spell — letters
  15. firm — steady
  16. track — a song
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cap — of ice
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pop — soda
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a hat
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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