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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 120 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ground — a position
  6. vault — a safe
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. perch — the fish
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — a committee
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. board — to get on
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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