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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. vault — a safe
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mate — to breed
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. net — after costs
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wake — a trail
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wake — before a funeral

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