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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mine — for digging
  4. rule — a law
  5. cue — for pool
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. object — a thing
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cue — a signal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. object — to protest
  14. vault — a safe
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cue — a hint
  19. court — of a king
  20. rule — government
  21. court — of law
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. court — for sport

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