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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. club — a group
  4. object — an aim
  5. present — a gift
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. object — a thing
  8. club — for dancing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bark — to shout
  11. present — there
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — magic
  15. present — the time now
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. object — to protest
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. club — for golf
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ball — a dance

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