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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 124 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. craft — boats
  5. fine — high quality
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. craft — a skill
  8. land — ground
  9. rule — government
  10. kick — in football
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lean — thin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fine — all right
  16. land — to come down
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rule — a law
  22. suit — clothes
  23. land — a country
  24. fine — a penalty

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