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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — a safe
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. last — final
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bulb — for light
  13. last — finally
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. ground — crushed
  21. last — to go on
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ground — a position

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