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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. staff — a stick
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mate — a partner
  5. cold — an illness
  6. staff — employees
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. root — of a word
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. cold — not warm
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. suit — in cards
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. mate — to breed
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. root — the cause
  21. staff — employees
  22. mate — a friend
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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