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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 120 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pitch — completely
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. vault — a safe
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wax — to grow
  19. sharp — clever
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. chip — for betting

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