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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. charge — a price
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wax — to grow
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bank — for money
  11. spell — magic
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. deal — to handle
  20. charge — in control
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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