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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. fine — all right
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. firm — decided
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. branch — a division

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