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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — final
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. last — finally
  14. root — of a plant
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. game — wild animals
  18. root — the cause
  19. prune — to trim
  20. root — of a word
  21. game — a match
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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