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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. capital — money
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — for digging
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mark — a grade
  24. capital — a city

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