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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bass — low music
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rash — a series
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fall — the season
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. rush — hurry
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fall — to drop

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