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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. capital — money
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mate — a partner
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cap — of ice
  18. suit — clothes
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. capital — a city
  24. board — a flat piece

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