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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. content — happy
  6. mug — a face
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. staff — employees
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. wax — to grow
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mug — to rob
  15. game — a match
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. staff — a stick
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. staff — employees
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. content — the amount

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