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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 120 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: nail · pit · vault · squash · snap · leaves · spell · racket

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pit — a hole
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. spell — letters
  14. snap — to click
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. squash — to crush
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. squash — the sport
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pit — in a race

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