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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. object — an aim
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. squash — the sport
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — a phone
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. object — a thing
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ball — a great time
  21. object — to protest
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pitch — completely

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