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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bulb — for light
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. court — of law
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. suit — to fit
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bulb — for light
  14. court — for sport
  15. rest — a break
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. suit — clothes
  18. court — of a king
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. vault — a safe
  22. squash — to crush
  23. suit — in cards
  24. kick — in football

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