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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — a group
  3. chest — of your body
  4. club — for dancing
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bulb — for light
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rest — what's left
  10. vault — a safe
  11. snap — to click
  12. rest — a break
  13. branch — a division
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mug — a cup
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. chest — a box
  18. club — for golf
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. chest — of your body
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mug — a face
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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