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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mark — a trace
  5. season — of the year
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. mark — a grade
  8. lean — thin
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. kid — to tease
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rash — a series
  15. kid — child
  16. ball — a dance
  17. season — in sport
  18. ball — a great time
  19. roll — a list
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. roll — a cake
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. lean — to bend
  24. vault — a safe

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