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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. object — a thing
  3. ball — a dance
  4. drill — army training
  5. cell — in biology
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bank — of a river
  8. vault — a safe
  9. object — an aim
  10. bank — for money
  11. cell — a phone
  12. object — to protest
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bank — for money
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. tube — a container
  19. drill — a practice
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. drill — the tool
  24. ball — a round shape

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