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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bound — tied together
  5. drill — the tool
  6. net — for catching
  7. bound — certain
  8. net — after costs
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. drill — a practice
  11. sharp — clever
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. wake — a trail
  15. suit — in cards
  16. net — in sport
  17. drill — army training
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. suit — clothes
  20. staff — employees
  21. bound — obliged
  22. staff — employees
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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