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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. clip — to cut
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rash — a series
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. clip — for paper
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. clip — a video
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. rash — on the skin

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