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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. suit — clothes
  3. net — for catching
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mug — a face
  6. net — in sport
  7. date — the fruit
  8. spell — letters
  9. mug — to rob
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spell — a short time
  13. net — after costs
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. spell — magic
  18. ruler — for measuring

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