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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pop — soda
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. object — to protest
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pop — music
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — to recline
  14. vault — a safe
  15. object — a thing
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mouse — the animal

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