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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 116 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pass — a permit
  3. kick — in football
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stand — to bear
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. tube — a container
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. fine — all right
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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