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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mate — a partner
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pitch — completely
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — in cards
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. chest — a box

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