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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ground — a position
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. toast — bread
  12. ground — crushed
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. season — in sport
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. craft — boats
  19. season — of the year
  20. wound — an injury
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ground — the earth
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wound — an injury

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