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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. band — a music group
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. snap — to click
  6. wind — moving air
  7. band — a ring
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. wind — moving air
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pass — to succeed

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