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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pop — soda
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pop — to visit
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pop — music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. track — a path
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. vault — a safe
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rush — hurry
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. craft — a skill
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. craft — boats
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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