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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. vault — a safe
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pass — a permit
  5. march — the month
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chair — a leader
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. march — music
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. foot — a measure
  18. march — the month

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