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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 120 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. foot — a measure
  3. wax — to grow
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. snap — to click
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. swing — to play on
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fork — in a road
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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