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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
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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: spell · vault · rush · bear · court · bowl · rash · row

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rash — a series
  4. row — a line
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rash — hasty
  9. row — to paddle
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. spell — letters
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. spell — a short time
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. court — of a king
  22. spell — magic
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — a safe

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