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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. roll — a list
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. net — for catching
  6. bear — the animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. net — in sport
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rush — hurry
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rock — music
  19. net — after costs
  20. pop — music
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. roll — a cake
  24. pop — soda

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