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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · vault · wave · squash · suit · pit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. tear — to rip
  3. suit — clothes
  4. tear — from crying
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. tear — from crying
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. suit — in cards
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pit — in a race

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