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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chest — of your body
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pass — a permit
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of law
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chest — of your body
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. court — of a king
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. chest — a box
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fork — in a road

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