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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. staff — employees
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. staff — employees
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mug — to rob
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. kick — in football
  16. court — of law
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. court — of a king
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — to tease

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