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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. pop — music
  2. last — to go on
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mate — a friend
  5. spring — of water
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pop — soda
  9. vault — a safe
  10. last — final
  11. rest — a break
  12. pop — to visit
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bear — the animal
  15. last — finally
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. mate — to breed
  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