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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chest — a box
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. snap — to click
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. snap — to snap out of it

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