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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. court — of a king
  4. bore — to tire
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. court — of law
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rule — a law
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bore — to drill
  17. court — for sport
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. dip — to sink
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rule — government

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