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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bat — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. staff — a stick
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cue — for pool
  11. file — a document
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. file — a line of people
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. staff — employees
  21. cue — a signal
  22. file — a tool
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. ruler — a monarch

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