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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — to protest
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. object — an aim
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. object — a thing
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. file — a document
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wound — an injury

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