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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — a partner
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cue — a hint
  9. spring — of water
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. scale — in music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mate — to breed
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ball — a dance
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — the season
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. spring — a coil
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cue — a signal

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