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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lean — thin
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. root — of a word
  11. lean — to bend
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stock — shares
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. root — the cause
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. root — of a plant
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stock — goods
  24. pitch — completely

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