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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. stand — to bear
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ground — crushed
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. ground — a position
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. prune — to trim
  13. scale — size or range
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. object — to protest
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. ground — the earth
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — in music

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