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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. roll — a list
  12. mate — to breed
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mate — a partner
  15. roll — a cake
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. toast — bread
  19. rock — a stone
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. hand — help
  24. rock — music

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