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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. kid — to tease
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. hand — help
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. kid — child
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. lash — to lash out

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