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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. kid — to tease
  2. kick — in football
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. pass — a permit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bass — low music
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. vault — a safe
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bass — the fish
  14. root — of a plant
  15. kid — child
  16. sharp — clever
  17. root — of a word
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. suit — in cards
  21. root — the cause
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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