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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ground · bat · leaves · lash · vault · pass · mate · march

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. ground — a position
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pass — a permit
  9. march — music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. march — the month
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ground — the earth
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ground — crushed
  18. march — the month
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. leaves — lets stay

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