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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. vault — a safe
  3. hand — help
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. swing — in golf
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mark — a grade
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. hand — in cards
  23. mark — a trace
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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