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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. staff — a stick
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ground — the earth
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. roll — a list
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. ground — crushed
  11. staff — employees
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. date — the fruit
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. staff — employees
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — a safe
  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