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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. tear — to rip
  3. fine — high quality
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. firm — a company
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. fine — all right
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. vault — a safe
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. firm — decided
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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