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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. season — of the year
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. scale — in music
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. scale — size or range
  15. season — in sport
  16. sharp — clever
  17. object — an aim
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — a series
  20. object — a thing
  21. rash — hasty
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. object — to protest
  24. scale — for weighing

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