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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. mate — to breed
  6. suit — clothes
  7. object — to protest
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mate — a friend
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. wind — moving air
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bat — the animal
  17. field — farmland
  18. field — a subject
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mate — a partner
  21. object — an aim
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. object — a thing

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