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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. lie — to recline
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a great time
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cue — for pool
  11. race — a contest
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. roll — a list
  18. cue — a hint
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. race — humankind
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fan — a supporter

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