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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. board — to get on
  3. vault — a safe
  4. present — there
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fall — to drop
  10. present — a gift
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. fall — the season
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. present — the time now
  15. pass — a permit
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. roll — a list
  22. staff — employees
  23. roll — a cake
  24. staff — employees

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