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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mark — a grade
  6. present — there
  7. rash — hasty
  8. net — after costs
  9. mark — a trace
  10. net — for catching
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mate — a partner
  15. present — a gift
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. present — the time now
  21. net — in sport
  22. rash — a series
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bat — the animal

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