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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. file — a line of people
  12. craft — boats
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. race — a contest
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bowl — to roll

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