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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. suit — to fit
  3. toast — bread
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. suit — in cards
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. root — of a plant
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — the cause
  13. rest — what's left
  14. root — of a word
  15. clip — to cut
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. clip — for paper
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rock — a stone
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. clip — a video
  24. vault — a safe

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