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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. toast — bread
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bound — certain
  14. wake — a trail
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wax — to grow
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bound — obliged

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