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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — an aim
  5. net — after costs
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. vault — a safe
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. object — to protest
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rest — what's left
  19. object — a thing
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. net — in sport
  24. rest — a break

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