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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 116 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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. firm — steady
  4. rest — what's left
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. rest — a break
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. firm — a company
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. scale — size or range
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. spell — magic
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. scale — in music
  21. spell — letters
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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