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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. file — a tool
  4. row — to paddle
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. march — the month
  11. row — a line
  12. march — the month
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. file — a document
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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