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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ground — the earth
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. game — a match
  7. wound — an injury
  8. vault — a safe
  9. deal — to handle
  10. suit — clothes
  11. game — wild animals
  12. last — final
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ground — a position
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — crushed
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. nail — for a hammer

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