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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 120 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. club — for dancing
  3. field — farmland
  4. wind — moving air
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. field — a subject
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lean — to bend
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — to fit
  17. field — for sport
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wind — moving air
  21. charge — a price
  22. lean — thin
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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