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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.

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 · lash · prune · row · mug · fine · perch

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. fine — all right
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. row — a line
  6. mug — a face
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ball — a great time
  11. perch — the fish
  12. row — to paddle
  13. prune — to trim
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mug — to rob
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fine — high quality
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mug — a cup
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lash — an eyelash

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