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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. roll — a list
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pitch — completely
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — in cards
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. suit — clothes
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stem — to come from
  20. snap — to click
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. foot — part of the body

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