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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 116 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. kick — in football
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — a gift
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pop — to visit
  17. present — there
  18. pop — soda
  19. fine — all right
  20. pop — music
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. present — the time now
  24. cue — a signal

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