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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. pit — in a race
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fall — the season
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. shower — to wash
  12. march — the month
  13. fall — to drop
  14. shower — rain
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. key — the most important part
  17. suit — clothes
  18. craft — boats
  19. key — in music
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — in cards
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. key — for a lock

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