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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 116 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. perch — the fish
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. saw — the tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. staff — employees
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ground — a position
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ground — the earth
  20. saw — the tool
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. land — ground

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