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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mate — a friend
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mark — a trace
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mate — to breed
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wake — a trail

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