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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wound — an injury
  4. board — to get on
  5. sharp — clever
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wax — to grow
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. board — a committee
  18. root — of a word
  19. charge — a price
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cold — an illness
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cold — not warm
  24. vault — a safe

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