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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rush — hurry
  8. vault — a safe
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wind — moving air
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. game — wild animals
  14. suit — in cards
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lie — to recline
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. mark — a grade
  24. game — a match

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