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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. field — a subject
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. vault — a safe
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. firm — decided
  10. degree — an amount
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. firm — steady
  13. field — farmland
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. firm — a company
  17. degree — temperature
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. field — for sport
  23. degree — from a university
  24. lash — to lash out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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