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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. suit — to fit
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bound — obliged
  6. club — for dancing
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. cue — a hint
  9. club — a group
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. season — of the year
  13. spell — a short time
  14. suit — in cards
  15. season — in sport
  16. club — for golf
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. spell — magic
  19. bound — tied together
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bound — certain
  22. spell — letters
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. straw — a straw man

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