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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rash — hasty
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cue — a signal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. net — after costs
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cue — a hint
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. net — for catching
  13. rash — a series
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. charge — a price
  18. scale — in music
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — in control
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cue — for pool
  24. net — in 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