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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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. stem — of a plant
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. court — of a king
  13. row — to paddle
  14. court — for sport
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. suit — in cards
  17. court — of law
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pound — a weight
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. row — a line

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