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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — a line
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. row — to paddle
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pit — in a race
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. net — for catching
  17. pit — a hole
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. net — in sport
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. net — after costs
  23. suit — in cards
  24. march — the month

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