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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ground — a position
  8. vault — a safe
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. present — the time now
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ground — crushed
  18. face — to confront
  19. present — there
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mine — for digging
  24. present — a gift

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