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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. kid — to tease
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. vault — a safe
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. root — of a word
  14. wound — an injury
  15. root — the cause
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ground — a position
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ground — crushed
  24. lie — to recline

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