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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lean — to bend
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. season — of the year
  12. lean — thin
  13. season — in sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bass — low music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bass — the fish
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fan — a supporter

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