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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. track — a song
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. track — a path
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — a cup
  7. vault — a safe
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mug — a face
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. craft — boats
  15. squash — to crush
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. track — to keep track
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. arm — part of the body

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