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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rash — a series
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. root — the cause
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ground — a position
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — of a word
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bark — to shout

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