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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 120 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. mate — a partner
  4. kick — in football
  5. shower — to wash
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mate — to breed
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. shower — rain
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mate — a friend
  24. suit — to fit

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