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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. face — to confront
  3. rest — a break
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — in cards
  7. march — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fine — all right
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. march — the month
  16. rash — hasty
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. face — to point toward
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  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