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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mark — a grade
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rest — a break
  14. drill — army training
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. suit — clothes
  21. club — for golf
  22. rush — hurry
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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