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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. club — for golf
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. face — to confront
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. ground — the earth
  13. face — to point toward
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. fork — in a road
  16. swing — music
  17. ground — crushed
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. club — a group
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ground — a position

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