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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. spell — letters
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spring — of water
  7. spell — a short time
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. season — of the year
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wake — a trail
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — the season
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. spell — magic
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rest — what's left

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