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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. charge — a price
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. squash — the sport
  12. cold — an illness
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wax — to grow
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cold — not warm
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. wax — in the ear

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