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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. sharp — clever
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. toast — bread
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ground — crushed
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. ground — a position
  23. vault — a safe
  24. chair — a leader

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