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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. shower — rain
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fork — in a road
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pop — music
  11. shower — to wash
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pop — soda
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pitch — completely
  16. vault — a safe
  17. squash — the sport
  18. shower — a meteor shower

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