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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ground — the earth
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ground — crushed
  12. cue — for pool
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mine — for digging
  16. net — after costs
  17. mug — to rob
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — a face
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cell — in biology
  24. ground — a position

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