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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. spell — magic
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. vault — a safe
  17. spell — letters
  18. craft — boats
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. craft — a skill
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bass — low music
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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