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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. season — of the year
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. vault — a safe
  7. firm — decided
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. firm — steady
  11. snap — to click
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. season — in sport
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. kick — in football
  23. firm — a company
  24. kick — with a leg

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