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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. game — a match
  3. fine — high quality
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. club — a group
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — a weight
  10. game — wild animals
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. vault — a safe
  13. roll — a list
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. club — for golf
  16. craft — a skill
  17. club — for dancing
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. craft — boats
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fine — all right
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. craft — a handicraft

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