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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · mug · date · wound · pit · scale · pop · row

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wound — an injury
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. row — to paddle
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wound — an injury
  13. date — the fruit
  14. mug — a face
  15. pop — soda
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pop — to visit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pop — music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. scale — in 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