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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rock — a stone
  11. staff — employees
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rock — music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. kid — child
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. lean — thin
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — to tease
  20. season — in sport
  21. staff — employees
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  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