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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. land — a country
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pitch — completely
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. land — to come down
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. season — in sport
  16. stock — shares
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stock — goods
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. land — ground
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wax — to grow
  24. object — an aim

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