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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. wake — a trail
  7. suit — clothes
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rash — a series
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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