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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. last — to go on
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. swing — in golf
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stand — to bear
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. swing — to play on
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fork — in a road
  17. last — final
  18. suit — in cards
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. last — finally
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. suit — to fit
  23. swing — music
  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