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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: mate · vault · board · pop · hide · sharp · suit · chest

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mate — a friend
  3. suit — clothes
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — to fit
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mate — a partner
  12. sharp — clever
  13. chest — of your body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mate — to breed
  16. chest — a box
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. chest — of your body
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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