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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: vault · hand · racket · pop · bowl · rush · kick · face

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pop — music
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. face — to confront
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. vault — a safe
  11. hand — help
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pop — soda
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pop — to visit
  21. hand — in cards
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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