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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. present — a gift
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — there
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fan — to cool the air

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