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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — to fit
  4. board — to get on
  5. capital — money
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mate — a friend
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. game — a match
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. game — wild animals
  17. suit — clothes
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. capital — a city
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mate — a partner
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. board — a committee

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