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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — a box
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. pound — a weight
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rash — a series
  20. chest — of your body
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. vault — a safe
  24. hide — to keep secret

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