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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ground — a position
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lean — to bend
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ground — the earth
  12. lean — thin
  13. stock — goods
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ground — crushed
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stock — shares
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. mine — for digging
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. vault — a safe

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