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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.

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: net · lean · season · squash · vault · fork · firm · ball

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. net — for catching
  3. squash — the sport
  4. firm — decided
  5. ball — a dance
  6. squash — to crush
  7. lean — thin
  8. season — in sport
  9. lean — to bend
  10. firm — steady
  11. ball — a great time
  12. vault — a safe
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. firm — a company
  21. fork — in a road
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. season — of the year

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