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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ground — a position
  5. rush — hurry
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. scale — in music
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. scale — size or range
  13. vault — a safe
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. ground — crushed
  17. dip — to sink
  18. roll — a list
  19. ground — the earth
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. spell — a short time

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