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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. band — a ring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — a permit
  13. land — a country
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. vault — a safe
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. land — ground
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. land — to come down
  24. band — a music group

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