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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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Word bank
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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: ball · mark · bowl · straw · vault · lean

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lean — to bend
  6. ball — a dance
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lean — thin
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bowl — a dish

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