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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. ground — the earth
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pit — a hole
  8. last — finally
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. last — to go on
  15. mine — for digging
  16. pit — in a race
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. staff — employees
  21. bass — low music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. last — final
  24. vault — a safe

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