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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. file — a line of people
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — finally
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — soda
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bound — obliged
  11. file — a document
  12. bound — tied together
  13. pop — music
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bound — certain
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. file — a tool
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. vault — a safe

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