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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. net — for catching
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ground — crushed
  12. chip — to eat
  13. net — in sport
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ground — the earth
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. snap — to click
  20. net — after costs
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stem — to come from
  24. vault — a safe

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