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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. staff — employees
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. march — the month
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. march — the month
  7. foot — a measure
  8. vault — a safe
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. staff — employees
  12. suit — in cards
  13. present — there
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. staff — a stick
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. present — a gift
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. present — the time now
  23. suit — clothes
  24. march — music

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