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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. kick — in football
  4. bat — the animal
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — a safe
  10. charge — a price
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. net — in sport
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. net — after costs
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — in control
  24. net — for catching

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