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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. cue — for pool
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. cue — a hint
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. shower — to wash
  12. cap — a hat
  13. shower — rain
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rash — hasty
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cap — of ice
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rash — a series

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