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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cue — a hint
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ground — a position
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ground — the earth
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. cue — for pool
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bat — the animal
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. squash — the sport

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