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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: present · bass · bat · mug · bowl · vault · leaves · wake

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bass — the fish
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. present — the time now
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. present — a gift
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bat — the animal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bass — low music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. present — there
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mug — a face
  24. bat — for baseball

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