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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rush — hurry
  7. vault — a safe
  8. tube — a container
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. board — to get on
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. board — a committee
  17. pit — a hole
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mate — to breed
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mate — a partner
  22. tube — the underground
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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