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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. firm — steady
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. squash — to crush
  17. firm — a company
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. firm — decided
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. perch — the fish

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