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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. root — of a word
  4. mug — a face
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bound — tied together
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bound — certain
  15. wind — moving air
  16. root — the cause
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. file — a document
  19. mug — a cup
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bound — obliged
  22. file — a tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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