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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. lean — thin
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bank — for money
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — of a river
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. season — of the year
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. vault — a safe
  16. season — in sport
  17. ground — a position
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. date — the fruit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bank — for money
  23. ground — the earth
  24. date — on the calendar

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