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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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. lean — to rest against
  4. clip — a video
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. scale — in music
  12. clip — for paper
  13. tube — the underground
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stand — to bear
  18. lean — to bend
  19. clip — to cut
  20. tube — a container
  21. bass — low music
  22. lean — thin
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. lash — to lash out

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