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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. court — of a king
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pop — soda
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. row — to paddle
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pitch — completely
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. vault — a safe
  20. object — a thing
  21. dip — to sink
  22. row — a line
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of law

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