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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. file — a tool
  4. pit — in a race
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. vault — a safe
  7. file — a document
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. snap — to click
  12. rule — a law
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rule — government
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pit — a hole
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. leaves — to go away

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