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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. net — for catching
  3. vault — a safe
  4. suit — in cards
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. fall — the season
  10. foot — a measure
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. net — in sport
  13. suit — clothes
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. net — after costs
  22. pound — a weight
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fall — to drop

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