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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. toast — bread
  2. pop — music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. lie — to recline
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. vault — a safe
  14. scale — in music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pop — soda
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pop — to visit
  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