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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rock — a stone
  5. suit — to fit
  6. last — final
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. saw — the tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — to go on
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. lie — to recline
  20. last — finally
  21. sharp — clever
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. suit — clothes
  24. nail — on a finger

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