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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. charge — electricity
  5. present — there
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wound — an injury
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rest — what's left
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rest — a break
  16. present — the time now
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wound — an injury
  19. tube — a container
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. present — a gift
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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