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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mug — a cup
  3. vault — a safe
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. key — in music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mug — a face
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bulb — for light
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rash — a series
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. key — the most important part
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rash — hasty
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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