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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bulb — for light
  6. file — a tool
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. dip — to sink
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. file — a line of people
  17. cell — in biology
  18. file — a document
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. dip — to dunk

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