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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. game — a match
  3. ground — a position
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mate — a friend
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ground — the earth
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ground — crushed
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mate — to breed
  19. game — wild animals
  20. spell — letters
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mate — a partner
  24. racket — for tennis

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