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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. game — a match
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. net — for catching
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. object — an aim
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — to protest
  18. bulb — for light
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. net — in sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. net — after costs
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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