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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cold — an illness
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mine — for digging
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kick — in football
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cold — not warm
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. branch — a division
  24. kick — with a leg

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