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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. current — happening now
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fine — all right
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. current — electric
  16. scale — in music
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — thin
  24. current — of water

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