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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.

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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: ball · lie · swing · racket · squash · mug · vault · rest

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. swing — in golf
  3. ball — a great time
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. squash — to crush
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mug — a face
  12. swing — to play on
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rest — a break
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lie — to recline
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. swing — music

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