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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rest — what's left
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kid — to tease
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. kid — child
  11. suit — clothes
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. game — a match
  14. fine — high quality
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rest — a break
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fine — all right

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