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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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. suit — clothes
  4. present — there
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. degree — temperature
  9. present — the time now
  10. rash — a series
  11. bulb — for light
  12. degree — from a university
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rash — hasty
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. suit — to fit
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — a safe
  19. saw — the tool
  20. degree — an amount
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitch — completely
  24. present — a gift

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