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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. swing — in golf
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — child
  9. vault — a safe
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. sharp — clever
  13. swing — music
  14. kid — to tease
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bear — the 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