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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fall — to drop
  3. present — a gift
  4. fall — the season
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. board — a committee
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bear — the animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. present — there
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fall — to drop
  14. present — the time now
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. vault — a safe
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pit — in a race

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