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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. fall — to drop
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. rest — a break
  7. court — for sport
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fall — the season
  11. chair — a leader
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. court — of law
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rest — what's left
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. court — of a king
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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