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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — a stone
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. net — after costs
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. kick — in football
  9. net — for catching
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. net — in sport
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rash — hasty
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. rock — music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rash — a series
  24. suit — to fit

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