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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. rock — music
  2. ground — a position
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fall — to drop
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ground — the earth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. lean — thin
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fall — the season
  21. lean — to bend
  22. foot — a measure
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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