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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: hide · spell · chip · bat · firm · vault · wake · ball

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bat — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. firm — steady
  11. spell — letters
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. chip — for betting
  16. firm — decided
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. chip — to eat
  21. firm — a company
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wake — a trail
  24. ball — a round shape

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