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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wound — an injury
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wound — an injury
  8. present — there
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. present — the time now
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fall — the season
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — employees
  17. vault — a safe
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pound — a weight
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. staff — a stick
  24. present — a gift

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