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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 120 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. ball — a dance
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. net — after costs
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — government
  15. net — in sport
  16. chest — a box
  17. mark — a grade
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. net — for catching
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chest — of your body

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