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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rule — a law
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rule — government
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ground — a position
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lean — thin
  11. ground — the earth
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pit — in a race
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lean — to bend

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