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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
468
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 · stick · bear · fine · foot · leaves · mine · game

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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