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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. game — wild animals
  7. vault — a safe
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. mark — a trace
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. game — a match
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. suit — clothes
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cell — a phone
  22. snap — to click
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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