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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bear — the animal
  5. present — a gift
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. drill — army training
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. present — the time now
  14. club — a group
  15. drill — the tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. drill — a practice
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. present — there
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. vault — a safe
  24. club — for golf

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