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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rash — a series
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. snap — to click
  6. last — finally
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lean — thin
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. last — final
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. club — for dancing
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. last — to go on
  22. club — for golf
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. club — a group

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