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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. game — wild animals
  4. lean — thin
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — rain
  12. ground — the earth
  13. game — a match
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. shower — to wash
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cue — a signal
  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