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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chest — of your body
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mate — to breed
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fine — all right
  8. rash — a series
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rock — music
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chest — a box
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. squash — to crush
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. mate — a partner

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