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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to click
  3. charge — in control
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cold — not warm
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — boats
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. season — in sport
  17. vault — a safe
  18. craft — a skill
  19. charge — a price
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. season — of the year
  23. cold — an illness
  24. hide — to keep secret

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