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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. saw — the tool
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bound — tied together
  10. present — there
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. present — the time now
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. row — a line
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. saw — the 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