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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · temple · vault · mug · ground · cell · object · kick

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  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. ground — the earth
  2. mug — a cup
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ground — crushed
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — to protest
  8. cell — in biology
  9. ground — a position
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. object — a thing
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. kick — in football
  21. object — an aim
  22. mug — a face
  23. cell — a phone
  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