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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fork — in a road
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bat — the animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cue — a signal

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