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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: foot · rash · row · mark · vault · roll · ball · swing

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. row — to paddle
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mark — a grade
  7. row — a line
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. swing — to play on
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. vault — a safe
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rash — a series
  17. swing — music
  18. roll — a list
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. roll — a cake
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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