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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. season — of the year
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fork — in a road
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. season — in sport
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — to shout
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. ball — a dance
  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