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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. drill — the tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. board — to get on
  13. foot — a measure
  14. board — a committee
  15. drill — army training
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — rain
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. drill — a practice
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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