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

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. land — a country
  3. scale — size or range
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. land — to come down
  6. suit — in cards
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. net — for catching
  9. scale — in music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. snap — to click
  12. suit — to fit
  13. land — ground
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. vault — a safe
  18. suit — clothes

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