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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. charge — a price
  7. rush — hurry
  8. charge — electricity
  9. tube — the underground
  10. vault — a safe
  11. tube — a container
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. season — of the year
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. charge — in control
  22. season — in sport
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mouse — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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