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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. staff — employees
  8. mug — a face
  9. court — for sport
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cold — not warm
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. staff — a stick
  16. kick — in football
  17. deal — to handle
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. court — of law
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cold — an illness
  24. deal — an agreement

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