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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ground — the earth
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — hurry
  9. march — the month
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. face — part of the head
  12. march — the month
  13. stock — shares
  14. ground — crushed
  15. march — music
  16. face — to confront
  17. season — of the year
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. face — to point toward
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. lie — to recline

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