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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rash — a series
  7. mug — a face
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mug — a cup
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rash — hasty
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mug — to rob

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