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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. squash — the sport
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. spell — a short time
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ground — crushed
  11. vault — a safe
  12. last — to go on
  13. staff — employees
  14. last — finally
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spell — magic
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spell — letters
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. ground — the earth
  22. last — final
  23. ground — a position
  24. lie — an untruth

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