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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rash — hasty
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ground — the earth
  7. rash — a series
  8. squash — to crush
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. ground — crushed
  13. date — the fruit
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. vault — a safe
  23. squash — the sport
  24. ground — a position

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