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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. can — a tin
  6. spell — letters
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pit — in a race
  9. clip — to cut
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. clip — for paper
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. clip — a video
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. can — to be able to
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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