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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.

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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. suit — in cards
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. suit — to fit
  8. can — a tin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rash — hasty
  12. can — to be able to
  13. file — a tool
  14. season — in sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. file — a line of people
  18. file — a document
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rash — a series
  21. season — of the year
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — a signal

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