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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. shower — rain
  8. object — to protest
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bound — certain
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ground — a position
  14. object — a thing
  15. bound — obliged
  16. ground — the earth
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bound — tied together
  19. fall — the season
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fall — to drop
  22. shower — to wash
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bay — a horse colour

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