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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. drill — a practice
  6. suit — to fit
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bound — tied together
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bound — certain
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. drill — army training
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — help
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — the tool

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