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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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Word bank
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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: cell · rash · suit · fine · court · vault · fall · shower

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rash — a series
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. court — for sport
  6. cell — in biology
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fall — the season
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. fall — to drop
  13. vault — a safe
  14. court — of a king
  15. fine — high quality
  16. shower — rain
  17. suit — clothes
  18. court — of law
  19. rash — hasty
  20. shower — to wash
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. fine — all right

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