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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. object — a thing
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. object — to protest
  7. vault — a safe
  8. degree — an amount
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. degree — temperature
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rush — hurry
  15. object — an aim
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. snap — to click
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. degree — from a university

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