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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. saw — the tool
  3. roll — a list
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. court — for sport
  6. rest — a break
  7. net — in sport
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. net — for catching
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. net — after costs
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mug — a face
  18. rest — what's left
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a cake
  24. mug — to rob

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