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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. wound — an injury
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rest — what's left
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pop — to visit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bank — for money
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. pop — music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mug — a face
  17. rest — what's left
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pop — soda
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — to rob
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rest — a break

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