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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chair — a leader
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. track — to keep track
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ball — a dance
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mug — to rob
  13. present — there
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. rash — a series
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rash — hasty
  21. present — the time now
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. present — a gift
  24. prune — to trim

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