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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. tube — the underground
  4. firm — decided
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — an aim
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. object — a thing
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bulb — for light
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. vault — a safe
  16. object — to protest
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. firm — a company
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wind — moving air
  22. tube — a container
  23. firm — steady
  24. bat — the animal

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