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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fall — to drop
  5. last — to go on
  6. fine — high quality
  7. firm — decided
  8. last — final
  9. last — finally
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. vault — a safe
  12. firm — steady
  13. wound — an injury
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fine — all right
  19. squash — the sport
  20. firm — a company
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fall — the season
  24. squash — to crush

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