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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rock — music
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rest — what's left
  11. present — the time now
  12. suit — to fit
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rest — a break
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — there
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. roll — a list

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