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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 116 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: vault · mine · mouse · board · suit · snap · content · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — to get on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. content — happy
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. snap — to click
  13. mine — for digging
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. ball — a great time
  17. board — a committee
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. suit — to fit
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. suit — clothes
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mine — an explosive

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