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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. kick — in football
  3. cap — a lid
  4. shower — to wash
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cap — a hat
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. object — to protest
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. game — wild animals
  12. shower — rain
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. object — a thing
  15. rush — hurry
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cap — of ice
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. object — an aim
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. vault — a safe
  24. game — a match

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