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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pop — to visit
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. face — part of the head
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. chip — for betting
  12. face — to confront
  13. rash — a series
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rash — hasty
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — to eat
  18. game — a match
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. face — to point toward

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