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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. fall — to drop
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fall — to drop
  13. capital — money
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. capital — a city
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. row — to paddle
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. row — a line
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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