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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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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 · mark · bowl · straw · vault · lean · present · bay

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. present — the time now
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ball — a great time
  6. vault — a safe
  7. present — a gift
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. lean — thin
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. present — there
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bowl — to 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