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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ball — a dance
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — a measure
  5. present — a gift
  6. firm — steady
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rest — a break
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rest — what's left
  16. tube — a container
  17. present — the time now
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. rest — what's left
  21. firm — a company
  22. vault — a safe
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — there

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