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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fine — high quality
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — soda
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pop — music
  16. fine — all right
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. cue — for pool
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wax — for sculpting

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