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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rest — a break
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rest — what's left
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pit — a hole
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — a safe
  15. kid — to tease
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. kid — child
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bound — certain
  20. rash — a series
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bound — obliged

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