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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rule — a law
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. ball — a dance
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. roll — a cake
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. roll — a list
  17. ball — a great time
  18. plane — a tool
  19. snap — to click
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rule — government
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. plane — in geometry

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