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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 116 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. vault — a safe
  4. land — a country
  5. ground — crushed
  6. land — ground
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. land — to come down
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bound — obliged
  18. ground — a position
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lie — to recline
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rush — hurry

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