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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lean — to bend
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. object — a thing
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mine — for digging
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. object — to protest
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. game — a match
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. dip — to sink
  22. object — an aim
  23. lean — thin
  24. dip — to dunk

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