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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 116 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: swing · firm · bowl · kid · bass · vault

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. kid — child
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bass — low music
  5. firm — a company
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. firm — decided
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. firm — steady
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. swing — music
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. swing — in golf

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