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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lean — thin
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. band — a ring
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rush — hurry
  19. band — a music group
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. suit — clothes

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