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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. firm — a company
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. net — after costs
  6. suit — to fit
  7. net — for catching
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. race — a contest
  11. scale — size or range
  12. firm — steady
  13. race — the arms race
  14. net — in sport
  15. firm — decided
  16. saw — the tool
  17. scale — in music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. race — humankind
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bound — certain

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