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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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 — in cards
  2. bass — the fish
  3. dip — to sink
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pop — soda
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rule — a law
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. row — to paddle
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rule — government
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — low music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. vault — a safe
  18. pop — to visit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — to fit
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pop — music
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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