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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. object — a thing
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. clip — to cut
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mark — a grade
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. clip — for paper
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cap — a lid
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. clip — a video
  15. craft — boats
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mark — a trace
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. saw — the tool
  21. vault — a safe
  22. craft — a skill
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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