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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. present — a gift
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pitch — completely
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bark — to shout
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. suit — to fit
  19. date — the fruit
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. straw — dry grass

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