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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. bound — certain
  3. sharp — clever
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fall — to drop
  6. staff — a stick
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. press — a publisher
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wake — a trail
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bound — tied together
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. press — newspapers
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. press — to push
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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