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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. degree — from a university
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. fall — the season
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. degree — temperature
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fall — to drop
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. degree — an amount
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. wave — of the sea

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