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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mate — a friend
  3. court — of law
  4. mate — a partner
  5. kick — in football
  6. dip — to sink
  7. saw — the tool
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of a king
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mate — to breed
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bore — to drill
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. saw — the tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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