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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ground — the earth
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mate — to breed
  10. spell — magic
  11. court — for sport
  12. ground — a position
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rule — a law
  17. swing — music
  18. rule — government
  19. spell — letters
  20. swing — to play on
  21. suit — to fit
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — of law
  24. mate — a friend

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