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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wound — an injury
  3. scale — in music
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cap — a hat
  10. vault — a safe
  11. charge — electricity
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. scale — size or range
  14. charge — in control
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. charge — a price
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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