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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — music
  8. net — in sport
  9. chest — of your body
  10. cue — a signal
  11. clip — for paper
  12. net — after costs
  13. toast — bread
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cue — a hint
  17. clip — a video
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. clip — to cut
  20. cue — for pool
  21. net — for catching
  22. pop — soda
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. cabinet — ministers

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