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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. cold — the Cold War
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stand — to bear
  6. season — of the year
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cold — not warm
  9. bat — the animal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. vault — a safe
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. season — in sport
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. deal — to handle
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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