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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wound — an injury
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mark — a trace
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wound — an injury
  9. degree — from a university
  10. suit — clothes
  11. degree — temperature
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. ball — a great time
  17. degree — an amount
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. suit — to fit

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