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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 124 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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. object — to protest
  6. firm — a company
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — steady
  11. vault — a safe
  12. clip — a video
  13. can — a tin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. object — an aim
  16. clip — for paper
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. firm — decided
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. object — a thing
  23. squash — to crush
  24. can — a tin

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