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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tear — from crying
  11. suit — in cards
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. ground — a position
  14. tear — from crying
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. present — a gift
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tear — to rip

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