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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 116 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. face — to confront
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. lean — thin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rash — a series
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stand — to bear
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. lean — to bend
  17. vault — a safe
  18. lean — to rest against

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