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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — a position
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. field — a subject
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ground — crushed
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. field — farmland
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — for sport
  24. fan — a supporter

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