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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. charge — in control
  3. cap — a lid
  4. charge — a price
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cap — of ice
  10. charge — electricity
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. tear — to rip
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. vault — a safe
  17. tear — from crying
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. face — part of the head
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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