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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. staff — employees
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. band — a music group
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bore — to drill
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. band — a ring
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bore — to tire

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