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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bass — low music
  4. fall — the season
  5. kid — to tease
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. kid — child
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wind — moving air
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. fine — all right
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fall — to drop
  15. court — of a king
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. court — for sport
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fine — high quality
  24. court — of law

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