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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. ball — a dance
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. board — to get on
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — in biology
  12. face — to confront
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pit — a hole
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pit — in a race
  20. suit — to fit
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ball — a great time
  23. board — a committee
  24. cell — a phone

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