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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mate — to breed
  3. spell — letters
  4. mate — a partner
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mate — a friend
  9. can — a tin
  10. rest — what's left
  11. can — a tin
  12. land — a country
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. kick — in football
  16. rest — what's left
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. land — ground
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. can — to be able to
  22. land — to come down
  23. rest — a break
  24. vault — a safe

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