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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. cell — a phone
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rush — hurry
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wound — an injury

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