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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cue — for pool
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rest — a break
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rest — what's left
  7. vault — a safe
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. capital — a city
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. capital — money
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cue — a signal
  14. charge — in control
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. field — farmland
  18. charge — electricity
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. charge — a price
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cue — a hint

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