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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fall — the season
  3. rule — a law
  4. lean — to bend
  5. swing — music
  6. last — finally
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fall — to drop
  11. last — final
  12. swing — to play on
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rash — a series
  15. last — to go on
  16. lean — thin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. vault — a safe

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