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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: rush · bowl · object · dip · roll · vault · jam · hand

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rush — hurry
  4. vault — a safe
  5. roll — a list
  6. hand — in cards
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. hand — help
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. object — a thing
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. roll — on a roll

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