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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: foot · ball · fine · bowl · rock · kid · cabinet · vault

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. kid — to tease
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fine — all right
  9. vault — a safe
  10. kid — child
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fine — high quality
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rock — music
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. ball — a dance

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