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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ball — a dance
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pop — soda
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. band — a ring
  13. wake — a trail
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. band — a music group
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pop — music
  23. pit — in a race
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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