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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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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: snap · dip · vault · pitcher · perch · degree · mate · ball

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. mate — a friend
  7. degree — from a university
  8. degree — temperature
  9. ball — a dance
  10. snap — to click
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mate — to breed
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mate — a partner
  20. degree — an amount
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ball — a great time
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pitcher — a jug

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