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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. staff — employees
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. staff — a stick
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. content — happy
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rest — a break
  18. content — the amount
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rest — what's left
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. fork — in a road

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