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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. suit — in cards
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. net — for catching
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. net — in sport
  14. mark — a trace
  15. key — in music
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. net — after costs
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mark — a grade

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