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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. drill — the tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. vault — a safe
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — a price
  15. drill — army training
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. charge — in control
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. arm — part of the body

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