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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. object — an aim
  3. drill — army training
  4. band — a music group
  5. root — the cause
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. band — a ring
  8. fall — to drop
  9. object — to protest
  10. fall — to drop
  11. drill — a practice
  12. root — of a plant
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pop — soda
  15. fall — the season
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. sharp — clever
  18. root — of a word
  19. object — a thing
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pop — to visit
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. drill — the tool
  24. vault — a safe

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