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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fine — all right
  4. kid — child
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. suit — in cards
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mark — a trace
  11. toast — bread
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. suit — to fit
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kid — to tease

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