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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. march — the month
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — an amount
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. degree — temperature
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. object — to protest
  10. march — music
  11. object — an aim
  12. march — the month
  13. ball — a dance
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stand — to bear
  23. object — a thing
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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