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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wake — a trail
  5. object — a thing
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. key — in music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. object — an aim
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lie — to recline
  14. object — to protest
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bear — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. squash — the sport
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. vault — a safe
  23. key — the most important part
  24. squash — to crush

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