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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. firm — decided
  3. vault — a safe
  4. charge — electricity
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. charge — a price
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. firm — a company
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bulb — for light
  15. firm — steady
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bulb — for light
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. charge — in control
  24. chair — a leader

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