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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wax — to grow
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. vault — a safe
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bound — certain
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. cell — a phone
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kid — to tease

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