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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. kid — child
  3. mark — a grade
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. court — for sport
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. vault — a safe
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. kid — to tease
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mark — a trace
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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