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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. file — a line of people
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. swing — in golf
  7. fine — high quality
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. land — ground
  11. file — a document
  12. bass — low music
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stand — to bear
  17. land — a country
  18. file — a tool
  19. vault — a safe
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fine — all right

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