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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. suit — clothes
  4. sharp — clever
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. squash — to crush
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. suit — in cards
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. drill — army training
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stock — goods
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. drill — the tool
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stock — shares
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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