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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. roll — a cake
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. rest — a break
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. roll — a list
  11. current — of water
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wind — moving air
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. current — happening now
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — electric

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