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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: club · vault · pit · bore · mouse · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pit — a hole
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mouse — for a computer

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