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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ground — a position
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rush — hurry
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ground — the earth
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. hand — help
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. hand — in cards

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