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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. object — to protest
  3. chair — a leader
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pop — music
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. mate — a partner
  8. band — a music group
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pop — to visit
  11. object — a thing
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. band — a ring
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. suit — to fit
  17. object — an aim
  18. pop — soda
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fine — all right

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