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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. wake — a trail
  3. vault — a safe
  4. object — to protest
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. object — an aim
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. object — a thing
  11. ground — a position
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ground — the earth
  16. press — to push
  17. stock — shares
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. stock — goods
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. press — newspapers

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