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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: hand · rock · lash · vault · jam · wound · bowl · mug

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mug — a face
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wound — an injury
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wound — an injury
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mug — a cup
  23. vault — a safe
  24. hand — help

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