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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pit — in a race
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. pit — a hole
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cell — in biology
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cell — a phone
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. rock — music
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rash — a series
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. chair — a leader
  23. scale — in music
  24. chair — a professorship

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