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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. degree — an amount
  3. suit — clothes
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lean — thin
  10. rash — a series
  11. roll — a list
  12. bank — for money
  13. degree — from a university
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. degree — temperature
  17. vault — a safe
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bank — for money
  24. suit — in cards

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