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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rock — music
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cell — a phone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wind — moving air
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rock — a stone
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. scale — in music
  19. cell — in biology
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. scale — size or range

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