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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. swing — music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. face — to confront
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. swing — to play on
  14. firm — steady
  15. vault — a safe
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stock — goods
  18. swing — in golf
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. face — to point toward
  22. hand — in cards
  23. ground — a position
  24. stock — shares

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