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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pop — music
  5. mate — a partner
  6. spell — letters
  7. suit — clothes
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mate — to breed
  10. spell — a short time
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mark — a grade
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mark — a trace
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. spell — magic
  24. pop — soda

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