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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rule — a law
  3. last — final
  4. fine — high quality
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. charge — in control
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. fine — all right
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. vault — a safe
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — electricity
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rule — government
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. last — finally
  18. fall — the season
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fall — to drop
  21. charge — a price
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. last — to go on
  24. fine — a penalty

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