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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. face — to point toward
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. cue — for pool
  7. squash — to crush
  8. cue — a signal
  9. face — part of the head
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. squash — the sport
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cap — a lid
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mark — a grade
  18. face — to confront
  19. cue — a hint
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mark — to pay attention

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