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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rock — music
  7. rule — government
  8. rash — a series
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fine — all right
  13. firm — decided
  14. ball — a dance
  15. firm — a company
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rule — a law
  18. firm — steady
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. ground — the earth
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rash — hasty
  23. ball — a great time
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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