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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mine — for digging
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fall — the season
  7. staff — a stick
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. staff — employees
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pop — music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pop — soda
  21. craft — boats
  22. prune — to trim
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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