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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bulb — for light
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ball — a dance
  5. land — a country
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rest — what's left
  9. land — ground
  10. game — a match
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. spring — of water
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. land — to come down
  15. game — wild animals
  16. rest — what's left
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rest — a break
  20. vault — a safe
  21. spring — the season
  22. bulb — for light
  23. spring — a coil
  24. game — a kind of play

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