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

Word bank: firm · coach · game · fall · pit · wave · vault · rest

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. firm — decided
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fall — to drop
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pit — a hole
  17. firm — a company
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fall — the season
  23. firm — steady
  24. vault — a safe

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