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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rash — hasty
  6. staff — employees
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. kid — child
  11. vault — a safe
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. kid — to tease
  20. staff — a stick
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. staff — employees
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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