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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · sharp · rest · vault · lie · fall · leaves · game

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. rest — what's left
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. game — wild animals
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. vault — a safe
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. game — a match
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rest — a break
  22. fall — the season
  23. fan — a supporter
  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