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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. firm — steady
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. vault — a safe
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. hide — to keep secret

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