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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cue — a signal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — farmland
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bound — tied together
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bound — certain
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fall — the season
  21. suit — to fit
  22. field — for sport
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bound — obliged

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