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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. root — of a word
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ground — crushed
  6. game — wild animals
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — the cause
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. root — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ground — a position
  18. pop — to visit
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pop — soda
  22. game — a match
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. game — a kind of play

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