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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. craft — boats
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stock — goods
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. vault — a safe
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in 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