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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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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. suit — in cards
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. court — for sport
  6. saw — the tool
  7. court — of law
  8. fork — in a road
  9. suit — to fit
  10. saw — the tool
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rest — a break
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ball — a great time
  16. court — of a king
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rest — what's left

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