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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. vault — a safe
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — music
  7. season — of the year
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. craft — boats
  10. capital — a city
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. capital — money
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. season — in sport
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pop — to visit
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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