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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — a safe
  10. chip — for betting
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. board — a committee
  15. chip — to eat
  16. fall — the season
  17. board — to get on
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. stock — shares
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — in cards
  24. file — a line of people

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