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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. spell — letters
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. spring — the season
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mate — a friend
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. ball — a dance
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mark — a grade
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mark — a trace
  17. spell — magic
  18. deal — to handle
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ball — a great time
  21. vault — a safe
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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