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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fall — to drop
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rash — a series
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fall — the season
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rash — hasty
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bat — for baseball

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