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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rash — hasty
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. content — the amount
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bulb — for light
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. roll — a list
  20. rash — a series
  21. bat — the animal
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. content — happy
  24. sharp — clever

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