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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. current — of water
  5. content — the amount
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kick — in football
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pit — in a race
  11. content — happy
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pit — a hole
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rock — music
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. rock — a stone
  24. kick — a thrill

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