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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rock — a stone
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pit — in a race
  7. net — for catching
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. charge — in control
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. net — in sport
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. drill — army training
  16. net — after costs
  17. pit — a hole
  18. snap — to click
  19. drill — a practice
  20. mark — a grade
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. mark — a trace
  23. drill — the tool
  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