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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. suit — in cards
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. kid — child
  13. mate — to breed
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mate — a partner
  16. staff — employees
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mate — a friend
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a dish

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