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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. firm — a company
  7. fall — the season
  8. staff — employees
  9. firm — decided
  10. rock — a stone
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wind — moving air
  13. present — there
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. firm — steady
  17. present — a gift
  18. staff — employees
  19. vault — a safe
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. present — the time now
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. staff — a stick

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