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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. club — for golf
  4. bat — the animal
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. spring — the season
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spring — a coil
  10. suit — clothes
  11. club — a group
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spring — of water
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. suit — to fit

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