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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stock — shares
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stock — goods
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — a permit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cabinet — ministers

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