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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 124 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bass — low music
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. field — for sport
  18. fork — in a road
  19. field — a subject
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mate — to breed
  23. field — farmland
  24. fork — a garden tool

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