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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. root — of a word
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wake — a trail
  16. root — the cause
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bass — low music
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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