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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 116 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. court — of a king
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bass — the fish
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ball — a dance
  17. game — a match
  18. court — of law
  19. wake — a trail
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bass — low music
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. court — for sport

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