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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. firm — steady
  8. row — a line
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bat — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. firm — a company
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. row — to paddle
  20. firm — decided
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. chair — a leader
  24. vault — a safe

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