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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cap — a lid
  8. prune — to trim
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. cap — of ice
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. cap — a hat

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