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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. vault — a safe
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rash — a series
  6. net — after costs
  7. dip — to sink
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rash — hasty
  11. net — in sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pitch — completely
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. net — for catching
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. perch — for a bird

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