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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 120 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ground — a position
  3. vault — a safe
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mark — a grade
  6. scale — in music
  7. lean — thin
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mark — a trace
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chair — a leader
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. ground — crushed
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. ground — the earth
  23. lean — to bend
  24. march — the month

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