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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. file — a tool
  3. vault — a safe
  4. charge — in control
  5. net — after costs
  6. rock — a stone
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bulb — for light
  10. file — a document
  11. object — an aim
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. object — to protest
  15. rock — music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. file — a line of people
  23. charge — a price
  24. bulb — of a plant

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