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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. swing — music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bear — the animal
  7. face — to confront
  8. vault — a safe
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bear — the animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wound — an injury
  24. face — to point toward

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