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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tear — from crying
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fine — all right
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — a price
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. suit — in cards
  16. charge — electricity
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fine — high quality
  19. sharp — clever
  20. tear — to rip
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — in control
  24. chair — to sit on

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