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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. swing — in golf
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. race — a contest
  5. vault — a safe
  6. race — the arms race
  7. swing — music
  8. land — ground
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. spring — of water
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stand — to bear
  14. race — humankind
  15. spring — a coil
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. swing — to play on
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. land — a country
  21. spring — the season
  22. land — to come down
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. hand — help

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