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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. present — the time now
  3. date — the fruit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. present — a gift
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. present — there
  15. last — final
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — finally
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — in cards
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — in sport

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