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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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468
Word bank
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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — to eat
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fine — all right
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fine — high quality
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fall — the season
  24. hide — to keep secret

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