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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pop — soda
  12. bear — the animal
  13. land — ground
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. land — to come down
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. land — a country
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bulb — of a plant

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