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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. fork — a garden tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. last — to go on
  4. present — a gift
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fork — in a road
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. last — finally
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. suit — clothes
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pass — a permit
  15. last — final
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. suit — to fit
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. present — there
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. present — the time now
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fork — to eat with
  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