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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 124 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. dip — to sink
  3. spring — of water
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ground — the earth
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rest — what's left
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. roll — a list
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ground — crushed
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a cake
  16. spring — the season
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rest — a break
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ground — a position

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