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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cold — not warm
  4. wax — to grow
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. club — for dancing
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. cold — an illness
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — in cards
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. club — a group
  15. suit — to fit
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. hand — help
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. hand — in cards
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rash — a series

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