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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. chair — a leader
  3. vault — a safe
  4. net — for catching
  5. cell — in biology
  6. season — of the year
  7. bear — the animal
  8. firm — steady
  9. cell — a phone
  10. net — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. season — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. firm — a company
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — decided
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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