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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bat — the animal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pass — a permit
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fine — all right
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. scale — in music
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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