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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ground — the earth
  9. lean — thin
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. band — a ring
  15. march — the month
  16. lean — to bend
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. perch — the fish
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. band — a music group
  24. vault — a safe

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