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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. vault — a safe
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. kid — child
  13. lean — thin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — to tease
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bass — low music
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fine — high quality

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