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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bulb — for light
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wound — an injury
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ground — a position
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — boats
  18. mark — a grade
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. ground — the earth

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