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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: kick · vault · mouse · squash · firm · kid

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. firm — steady
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. squash — to crush
  16. vault — a safe
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mouse — the animal

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