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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. charge — a price
  3. wax — to grow
  4. charge — in control
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. mug — a cup
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — the season
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. tear — to rip
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mug — to rob
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mark — a trace
  18. spring — of water
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mug — a face
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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