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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 120 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: vault · fine · firm · sharp · fork · mate · chair · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rest — a break
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chair — a leader
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. mate — a partner
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fine — all right
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fine — high quality
  22. firm — steady
  23. mate — to breed
  24. sharp — clever

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