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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. firm — steady
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. firm — decided
  9. prune — to trim
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. firm — a company
  17. track — a song
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wax — to grow
  21. track — a path
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wax — in the ear

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