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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cap — a hat
  7. present — a gift
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cap — a lid
  14. last — finally
  15. vault — a safe
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. present — the time now
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chip — for betting
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

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