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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 120 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — a safe
  4. craft — boats
  5. mine — for digging
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. craft — a skill
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rush — hurry
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lash — to lash out

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