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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mug — a face
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. net — after costs
  7. mug — a cup
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ball — a great time
  11. net — in sport
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. object — an aim
  14. mug — to rob
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. ball — a dance
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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