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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mate — a friend
  3. sharp — clever
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — help
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. vault — a safe
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. chest — of your body
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mate — to breed
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chest — a box
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mate — a partner
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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