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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. prune — to trim
  10. court — for sport
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. court — of law
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stock — goods
  18. lie — to recline
  19. prune — to trim
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. court — of a king
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stock — shares

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