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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: shower · roll · vault · swing · degree · squash · can · bowl

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. roll — a list
  5. squash — to crush
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. swing — to play on
  10. shower — to wash
  11. swing — music
  12. degree — from a university
  13. roll — a cake
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — temperature
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — rain
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. squash — the sport
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. can — to be able to
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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