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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wound — an injury
  4. object — a thing
  5. can — a tin
  6. wound — an injury
  7. object — to protest
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. object — an aim
  11. wax — to grow
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — a country
  18. snap — to click
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. vault — a safe
  24. suit — clothes

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