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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. rock — a stone
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ball — a dance
  13. charge — in control
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mark — a trace
  16. charge — a price
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rock — music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a great time

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