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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. fall — to drop
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. vault — a safe
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stock — shares
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. game — wild animals
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rush — hurry
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. game — a match
  18. stock — goods
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. dip — to sink
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fall — the season

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