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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stand — to bear
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. roll — a list
  7. fall — to drop
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. root — of a word
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. root — the cause
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. roll — a cake
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. root — of a plant
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fall — the season
  24. stand — for spectators

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