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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. vault — a safe
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. rest — a break
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rest — what's left
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. toast — bread
  14. rule — government
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rule — a law
  24. roll — on a roll

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