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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 120 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spring — of water
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mate — to breed
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mate — a friend
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — completely
  21. spring — the season
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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