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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. fine — all right
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. fall — to drop
  9. sharp — clever
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. chair — a leader
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fall — the season
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fall — to drop
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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