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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pop — music
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. mug — to rob
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pop — soda
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pop — to visit
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cold — not warm
  20. fine — all right
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fall — the season
  23. mug — a face
  24. cold — an illness

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