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

Word bank: jam · row · vault · rock · date · firm · pass · pound

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. row — a quarrel
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. firm — a company
  4. rock — a stone
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. date — the fruit
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. row — a line
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. firm — decided
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. vault — a safe
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. row — to paddle
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. firm — steady
  23. pass — to spend time
  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