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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mate — to breed
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. swing — music
  8. tube — the underground
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. swing — to play on
  16. squash — the sport
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. swing — in golf
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mate — a partner
  22. tube — a container
  23. squash — to crush
  24. trunk — of a tree

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