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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · vault · ball · stick · kid · date · mug · spring

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. date — the fruit
  3. spring — the season
  4. kid — child
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ball — a dance
  10. spring — of water
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. spring — a coil
  18. vault — a safe
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kid — to tease
  21. saw — the tool
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mug — a cup
  24. ball — a great time

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