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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. club — for golf
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. club — a group
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rash — a series
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rest — a break
  22. mark — a grade
  23. club — for dancing
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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