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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. kid — to tease
  7. net — for catching
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. shower — to wash
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. shower — rain
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kid — child

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