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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. net — in sport
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. vault — a safe
  7. net — for catching
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. court — of a king
  13. staff — employees
  14. court — of law
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. court — for sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. straw — a straw man

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