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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. shower — rain
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fine — high quality
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fine — all right
  7. vault — a safe
  8. foot — a measure
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. spring — of water
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. spring — a coil
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. ground — a position
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. shower — to wash
  21. spring — the season
  22. firm — steady
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ground — crushed

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