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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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. suit — to fit
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. suit — in cards
  24. calf — a young animal

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