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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. vault — a safe
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. squash — to crush
  7. spell — magic
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — for golf
  11. bark — to shout
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spell — letters
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. spell — a short time
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. season — of the year
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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