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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pit — in a race
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fork — in a road
  19. suit — to fit
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. vault — a safe
  22. game — a match
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. game — wild animals

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