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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: dip · race · bulb · vault · roll · spell · cue · foot

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. race — a contest
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cue — for pool
  10. race — the arms race
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. foot — a measure
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cue — a hint
  16. spell — letters
  17. bulb — for light
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a list
  21. race — humankind
  22. roll — a cake
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bulb — for light

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