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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — in control
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. perch — the fish
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — a price
  20. branch — a division
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ball — a great time
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. ball — a round shape

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