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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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. bass — low music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mate — to breed
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. capital — a city
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. capital — money
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mate — a partner
  18. hand — help
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. hand — 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