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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: bat · ball · squash · bay · vault · suit · temple · race

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. race — a contest
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. squash — the sport
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. race — humankind
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. race — the arms race
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bat — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ball — a great time
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. squash — to crush
  24. vault — a safe

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