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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. mate — a friend
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mate — a partner
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rule — government
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rule — a law
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mate — to breed

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