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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · ball · club · mouse · bear · mate · season · suit

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. season — of the year
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mate — to breed
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mate — a partner
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mate — a friend
  15. club — for golf
  16. suit — clothes
  17. season — in sport
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. vault — a safe
  24. 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