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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 120 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: lash · vault · squash · deal · cell · bowl

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cell — a phone
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cell — in biology
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cell — in a prison

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