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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: mouse · ground · lash · mate · spell · bulb · degree · vault

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bulb — for light
  6. spell — letters
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ground — crushed
  12. degree — an amount
  13. mate — a friend
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bulb — for light
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — from a university
  19. spell — magic
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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