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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ground — a position
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bound — certain
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. last — finally
  12. bound — obliged
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. last — final
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. last — to go on
  17. staff — a stick
  18. ground — the earth
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bound — tied together
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. nail — for a hammer

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