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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mate — a friend
  3. roll — a list
  4. suit — clothes
  5. key — in music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cap — of ice
  11. roll — a cake
  12. mate — to breed
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cap — a lid
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — in cards
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mate — a partner
  21. key — for a lock
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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