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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pop — music
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spell — letters
  6. band — a ring
  7. cell — a phone
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. spell — magic
  11. cell — in biology
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. vault — a safe
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — a permit
  19. band — a music group
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pop — soda
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pass — to succeed

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