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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — a video
  14. vault — a safe
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. clip — for paper
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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