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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. firm — a company
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. rock — music
  9. firm — decided
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bat — the animal
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chest — a box
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. chest — of your body
  20. firm — steady
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bat — for baseball

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