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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rule — a law
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. vault — a safe
  8. kick — in football
  9. rule — government
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. degree — temperature
  15. degree — from a university
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. degree — an amount
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. wax — to grow
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. leaves — to go away

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