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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — ground
  7. shower — rain
  8. snap — to click
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bear — the animal
  17. kid — child
  18. object — to protest
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. land — a country
  23. kid — to tease
  24. land — to come down

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