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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pop — soda
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. saw — the tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a great time
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pop — to visit
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. land — to come down
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pop — music
  16. rock — music
  17. land — ground
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. land — a country
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. vault — a safe
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ball — a dance
  24. prune — to trim

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