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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ground — the earth
  8. vault — a safe
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. club — for golf
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. perch — the fish
  20. ground — a position
  21. club — a group
  22. ground — crushed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pitch — a sports field

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