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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. firm — steady
  5. vault — a safe
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. foot — a measure
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. firm — decided
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. present — the time now
  16. firm — a company
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. present — there
  19. pitch — completely
  20. present — a gift
  21. pound — a weight
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  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