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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bass — low music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. hand — help
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kid — child
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. hand — in cards
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. rash — hasty
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rash — a series
  24. kid — to tease

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