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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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Word bank
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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. cell — in biology
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. squash — the sport
  11. kick — in football
  12. vault — a safe
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cell — a phone
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mine — for digging
  18. squash — to crush
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — a hint

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