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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. vault — a safe
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. scale — size or range
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. firm — decided
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. firm — steady
  17. chest — of your body
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. tube — a container
  22. chest — a box
  23. scale — in music
  24. bowl — to roll

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