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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. spring — the season
  3. court — of a king
  4. charge — a price
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bear — the animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wax — to grow
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. court — for sport
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. spring — of water
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. charge — in control
  22. bear — the animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. court — of law

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