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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pop — music
  4. object — a thing
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. swing — music
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. object — an aim
  10. staff — employees
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pop — soda
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. staff — employees
  18. stock — shares
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. stock — goods
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. swing — in golf
  24. staff — a stick

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