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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. field — farmland
  4. suit — in cards
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — happening now
  7. bound — tied together
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bound — obliged
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. prune — to trim
  12. current — of water
  13. bound — certain
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. field — a subject
  20. kick — in football
  21. deal — to handle
  22. suit — clothes
  23. current — electric
  24. field — for sport

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