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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. spell — letters
  3. cue — for pool
  4. kick — in football
  5. row — to paddle
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. lean — to bend
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. row — a line
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. lean — thin
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. spell — magic
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. toast — bread
  24. spell — a short time

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