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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. season — in sport
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. suit — to fit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — clothes
  11. vault — a safe
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. suit — in cards
  18. spell — a short time
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. kid — to tease
  21. season — of the year
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. kid — child
  24. fan — a supporter

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