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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 124 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. game — a match
  7. scale — in music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. spell — magic
  12. scale — size or range
  13. game — wild animals
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — letters
  20. band — a music group
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mark — a grade
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. spell — a short time

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