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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 116 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. vault — a safe
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. kick — in football
  7. season — of the year
  8. club — for dancing
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. season — in sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. club — for golf
  14. swing — music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. club — a group
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wound — an injury
  24. swing — in golf

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