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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fine — high quality
  3. face — to point toward
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fine — all right
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ground — a position
  11. stock — goods
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stock — shares
  16. ground — crushed
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ground — the earth
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. vault — a safe
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. face — to confront
  24. ball — a dance

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