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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pit — in a race
  6. object — to protest
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. vault — a safe
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pop — soda
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pop — to visit
  17. ground — a position
  18. object — an aim
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pop — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ground — crushed
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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