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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fall — the season
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. vault — a safe
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bass — low music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fall — to drop
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pass — a permit
  19. key — in music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. racket — for tennis

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