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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — a thing
  4. rock — a stone
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — a safe
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — a video
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rock — music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. track — a path
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. track — a song
  20. object — an aim
  21. clip — to cut
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. object — to protest

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