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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. net — for catching
  4. charge — a price
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. scale — in music
  7. net — after costs
  8. vault — a safe
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. charge — in control
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lean — thin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. net — in sport
  20. perch — the fish
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. snap — to click
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. charge — electricity

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