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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wound — an injury
  9. net — in sport
  10. key — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. charge — in control
  13. key — for a lock
  14. charge — electricity
  15. vault — a safe
  16. charge — a price
  17. board — to get on
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. mark — a trace
  21. board — a committee
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. suit — clothes
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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