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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cue — a hint
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ground — crushed
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rush — hurry
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cue — a signal
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cue — for pool
  13. vault — a safe
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. ground — a position
  23. season — in sport
  24. craft — a skill

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