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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. swing — music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — in golf
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. swing — to play on
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. file — a line of people
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. file — a tool
  14. squash — to crush
  15. sharp — clever
  16. file — a document
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fan — to cool the air

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