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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. land — a country
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. land — ground
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. wake — a trail
  9. land — to come down
  10. track — a song
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. kick — in football
  14. bulb — for light
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. vault — a safe
  18. firm — decided
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. firm — steady
  22. track — a path
  23. firm — a company
  24. bulb — for light

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