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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stock — shares
  10. kick — in football
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. stock — goods
  19. vault — a safe
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stock — a soup base

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