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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cap — a lid
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cap — of ice
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cue — a hint
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cap — a hat
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. face — to confront
  24. cue — a signal

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