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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: swing · fall · vault · bat · pass · dip

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. swing — in golf
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. swing — music
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. dip — to sink
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fall — to drop
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. swing — to play on
  12. fall — the season
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bat — the animal

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