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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bulb — for light
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pitch — completely
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. face — to confront
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. face — to point toward
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. cap — a hat
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cap — a lid
  24. lash — an eyelash

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