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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. firm — decided
  3. spring — a coil
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pit — in a race
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. spring — the season
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. firm — a company
  16. board — to get on
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. spring — of water
  22. board — a committee
  23. wind — moving air
  24. firm — steady

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