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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pound — a weight
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. vault — a safe
  16. fall — to drop
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. fall — to drop
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pass — a permit

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