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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — a grade
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. file — a tool
  12. vault — a safe
  13. file — a document
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rule — government
  16. shower — rain
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. file — a line of people
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rule — a law

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