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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. tube — a container
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pop — soda
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mine — for digging
  18. game — a match
  19. fine — all right
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — high quality
  24. suit — clothes

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