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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pit — a hole
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bat — the animal
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bowl — to roll
  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