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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. vault — a safe
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mark — a grade
  8. net — in sport
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. net — after costs
  14. rock — music
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. net — for catching
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. mark — a trace
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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