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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. vault — a safe
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. net — in sport
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — a division
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. ground — a position
  20. net — after costs
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. net — for catching
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ground — the earth

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