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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wake — a trail
  8. court — of law
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fine — all right
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. vault — a safe
  19. court — for sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. last — final
  22. last — to go on
  23. court — of a king
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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