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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · fall · present · vault · mate · fine

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fine — all right
  3. mate — to breed
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fall — to drop
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. chair — a leader
  12. mate — a friend
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fall — the season
  16. vault — a safe
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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