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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. object — an aim
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. row — a line
  6. face — to confront
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ground — the earth
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. object — a thing
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ground — a position
  17. face — part of the head
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. ground — crushed
  21. prune — to trim
  22. row — to paddle
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. object — to protest

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