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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. drill — army training
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. scale — size or range
  9. drill — a practice
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ground — the earth
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. scale — in music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. drill — the tool
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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