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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. vault — a safe
  3. mug — a cup
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lie — to recline
  7. kid — child
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. ball — a great time
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. squash — to crush
  14. row — to paddle
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. row — a line
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mug — to rob
  19. kid — to tease
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. row — a quarrel

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