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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rule — a law
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rock — a stone
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rule — government
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. suit — clothes
  14. object — a thing
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. degree — from a university
  19. rock — music
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. object — to protest
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rock — to move gently

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