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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bass — low music
  15. track — to keep track
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. ground — crushed
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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