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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rule — government
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — a skill
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pitch — completely
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. staff — employees
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rule — a law
  20. staff — a stick
  21. craft — boats
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — a handicraft

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