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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · cabinet · vault · straw · pound · bear

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pound — a weight
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

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