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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. row — a line
  5. club — a group
  6. object — to protest
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. club — for golf
  9. object — an aim
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. firm — a company
  14. ball — a great time
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. object — a thing
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bat — the animal
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. ball — a dance
  23. toast — bread
  24. row — a quarrel

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