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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. ground — the earth
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lean — thin
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. foot — a measure
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. march — the month
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lean — to bend
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bass — low music

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