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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: vault · kid · plane · mouse · mate · season · pound · rock

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. rock — a stone
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mate — a friend
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pound — a weight
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. season — of the year
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rock — music
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mate — a partner
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. kid — child
  22. season — in sport
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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