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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ground — a position
  4. suit — clothes
  5. net — for catching
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — music
  12. ground — the earth
  13. net — after costs
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. vault — a safe
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. net — in sport
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. suit — in cards

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