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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. march — music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mark — a grade
  10. firm — a company
  11. fall — the season
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pit — in a race
  15. spell — letters
  16. mark — a trace
  17. vault — a safe
  18. march — the month
  19. firm — steady
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. firm — decided
  24. march — the month

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