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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 120 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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — to fit
  6. court — of a king
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. court — of law
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. track — a song
  11. court — for sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. track — a path
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bass — low music
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. foot — a measure
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lash — an eyelash

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