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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. swing — to play on
  4. present — there
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. suit — to fit
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. spring — of water
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. swing — music
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — a coil

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