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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mate — a partner
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. press — to push
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. club — for golf
  13. tube — a container
  14. mate — to breed
  15. club — a group
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rest — a break
  19. tube — the underground
  20. land — to come down
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rest — what's left
  24. vault — a safe

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