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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rule — a law
  3. object — a thing
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. ball — a dance
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. spell — magic
  12. vault — a safe
  13. prune — to trim
  14. object — an aim
  15. spell — letters
  16. ball — a great time
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rule — government
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. prune — to trim
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — to protest
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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