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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 124 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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. vault — a safe
  3. suit — to fit
  4. roll — a list
  5. prune — to trim
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. shower — rain
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. court — of law
  18. suit — in cards
  19. court — for sport
  20. shower — to wash
  21. court — of a king
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mouse — the animal

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