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

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. vault — a safe
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. scale — size or range
  13. staff — a stick
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. staff — employees
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. mate — a friend
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — employees
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. roll — a cake

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