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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. vault — a safe
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. shower — to wash
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. key — in music
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chair — a leader
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. shower — rain
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pass — a permit
  15. object — an aim
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. key — the most important part
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. wake — a trail

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