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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. scale — size or range
  3. game — a match
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ground — the earth
  6. suit — to fit
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. scale — in music
  9. ground — a position
  10. race — humankind
  11. game — wild animals
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — a contest
  16. fork — in a road
  17. vault — a safe
  18. stem — to come from
  19. ground — crushed
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. race — the arms race
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. game — a kind of play

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