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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. saw — the tool
  3. club — for golf
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. object — a thing
  6. ball — a dance
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. club — a group
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. track — a path
  12. vault — a safe
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. object — an aim
  16. club — for dancing
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. saw — the tool
  20. object — to protest
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. tube — the underground

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