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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ground — crushed
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. swing — in golf
  17. saw — the tool
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. vault — a safe
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bowl — a dish

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