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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 120 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. swing — music
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. swing — in golf
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — in football
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wound — an injury
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. wax — to grow
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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