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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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. suit — in cards
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — to fit
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — an aim
  8. kick — in football
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. object — to protest
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. stock — shares
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. suit — clothes
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. object — a thing
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rush — hurry
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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