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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ground — a position
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — in control
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wind — moving air
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bank — for money
  18. charge — electricity
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ground — crushed
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. charge — a price
  23. wind — moving air
  24. foot — part of the body

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