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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. band — a ring
  3. present — there
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — letters
  9. suit — in cards
  10. season — of the year
  11. present — a gift
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. vault — a safe
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. spell — magic
  17. suit — clothes
  18. band — a music group
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. spell — a short time
  21. season — in sport
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. present — the time now

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