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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. firm — decided
  3. pit — a hole
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. firm — steady
  7. net — in sport
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pit — in a race
  10. net — for catching
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — a company
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fall — to drop
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fall — the season
  20. net — after costs
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. scale — in music

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