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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. track — to keep track
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a path
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wake — a trail
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. track — a song
  24. bulb — of a plant

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