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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: ball · bound · bowl · suit · present · kid · sharp · vault

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. present — there
  3. sharp — clever
  4. present — a gift
  5. vault — a safe
  6. suit — clothes
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ball — a dance
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bound — certain
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kid — to tease
  22. present — the time now
  23. bound — tied together
  24. sharp — with an edge

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