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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. suit — clothes
  3. club — a group
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cap — of ice
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fine — all right
  8. suit — in cards
  9. present — the time now
  10. file — a document
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. present — there
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fork — in a road
  21. suit — to fit
  22. present — a gift
  23. club — for golf
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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