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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cold — an illness
  3. key — the most important part
  4. swing — in golf
  5. vault — a safe
  6. suit — to fit
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. key — for a lock
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pit — in a race
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pit — a hole
  14. key — in music
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fall — to drop
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cold — not warm
  19. swing — music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. suit — clothes

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