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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. band — a music group
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mug — a face
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cell — in biology
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. staff — employees
  12. band — a ring
  13. cell — a phone
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rush — hurry
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. deal — to handle

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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