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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bulb — for light
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. vault — a safe
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. rock — music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rash — a series
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rock — to move gently

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