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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rule — a law
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. vault — a safe
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mug — a face
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kick — in football
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. mug — to rob
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rule — government
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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