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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. suit — in cards
  3. snap — to click
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. suit — to fit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. game — a match
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wind — moving air
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. wind — moving air
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. tube — the underground
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. staff — employees
  20. game — wild animals
  21. suit — clothes
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. tube — a container
  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