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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rest — a break
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rest — what's left
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. row — a line
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. row — to paddle
  17. stock — goods
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stock — shares
  20. wax — to grow
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. snap — to click
  24. leaves — lets stay

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