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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. cell — in biology
  10. chair — a leader
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bank — for money
  14. fall — to drop
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. cell — a phone

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