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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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468
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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. toast — bread
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. date — the fruit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fall — to drop
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fall — the season
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pass — a permit
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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