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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. foot — a measure
  3. swing — in golf
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bulb — for light
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ground — crushed
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — a grade
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mark — a trace
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ground — a position
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. swing — music
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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