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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. spring — the season
  4. cell — a phone
  5. spring — a coil
  6. land — a country
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. land — to come down
  9. spring — of water
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cell — in biology
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mate — a friend
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rash — hasty
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. land — ground
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mate — to breed
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. foot — a measure

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