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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. kid — to tease
  3. wake — a trail
  4. kid — child
  5. present — the time now
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. band — a music group
  9. present — a gift
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pitch — completely
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. vault — a safe
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. suit — to fit
  24. present — there

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