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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. suit — to fit
  4. march — music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. fine — all right
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. march — the month
  9. track — a path
  10. suit — clothes
  11. track — a song
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. lie — to recline
  15. track — to keep track
  16. march — the month
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fork — in a road
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fine — high quality

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