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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cap — a lid
  8. band — a music group
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — ground
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. band — a ring
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. game — wild animals
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. game — a match
  19. vault — a safe
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cap — a hat
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. cap — of ice

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