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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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. court — of a king
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pit — a hole
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bank — for money
  10. spring — of water
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bank — for money
  16. pit — in a race
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. court — of law
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. court — for sport
  24. spring — the season

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