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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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. fall — to drop
  7. court — of law
  8. mug — to rob
  9. court — of a king
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stem — to come from
  13. lean — thin
  14. mug — a face
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lean — to bend
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stand — to bear
  23. court — for sport
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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