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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. charge — in control
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stand — to bear
  18. chair — a leader
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. fall — the season
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stand — on your feet

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