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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. net — for catching
  5. suit — clothes
  6. vault — a safe
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. plane — a tool
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a cake
  13. suit — in cards
  14. roll — a list
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. net — in sport
  17. sharp — clever
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. net — after costs
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. sharp — with an edge

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