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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. charge — in control
  6. ground — the earth
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stem — to come from
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rush — hurry
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. ground — a position
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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