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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mug — a face
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — a law
  10. mug — to rob
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mug — a cup
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. kick — in football
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. vault — a safe
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. sharp — clever
  24. foot — the bottom

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