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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. suit — in cards
  5. vault — a safe
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wound — an injury
  8. suit — to fit
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — clothes
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. foot — a measure
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wound — an injury
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. hand — help
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. hand — in cards
  24. staff — employees

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