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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. cell — a phone
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cell — in biology
  11. suit — in cards
  12. present — a gift
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bear — the animal
  15. present — there
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. content — happy
  19. content — the amount
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. vault — a safe

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