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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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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: bear · object · lash · pop · bowl · chest · pound · vault

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pop — soda
  6. object — to protest
  7. chest — of your body
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chest — a box
  11. pound — a weight
  12. object — an aim
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pop — music
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. object — a thing
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bowl — a football final

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