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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.

Make a worksheet

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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. suit — clothes
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mug — a cup
  5. object — to protest
  6. content — the amount
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mug — to rob
  9. vault — a safe
  10. game — wild animals
  11. suit — to fit
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. object — an aim
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. object — a thing
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. content — happy
  21. mug — a face
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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