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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 120 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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. row — a line
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. ball — a dance
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a great time
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — for light
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. chest — of your body
  19. season — in sport
  20. row — to paddle
  21. rock — a stone
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rock — music
  24. season — of the year

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