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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wound — an injury
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. can — to be able to
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bass — low music
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. suit — clothes
  20. craft — boats
  21. can — a tin
  22. bass — the fish
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. lash — to lash out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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