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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mate — a friend
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. swing — music
  6. mate — to breed
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ball — a dance
  9. swing — in golf
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pound — a weight
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. craft — boats
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. scale — in music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. scale — size or range
  22. craft — a skill
  23. kick — in football
  24. suit — clothes

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