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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. cell — a phone
  5. mark — a trace
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. pit — a hole
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cell — in biology
  20. charge — in control
  21. wax — to grow
  22. vault — a safe
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mark — to pay attention

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