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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bound — certain
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mark — a trace
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. squash — to crush
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. squash — the sport
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. drill — army training

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