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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. current — of water
  6. stock — goods
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. clip — for paper
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. clip — a video
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. current — electric
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. current — happening now
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. stock — shares
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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