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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. suit — to fit
  4. present — the time now
  5. game — a match
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rest — a break
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. deal — to handle
  10. field — a subject
  11. suit — clothes
  12. present — a gift
  13. field — farmland
  14. court — for sport
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. court — of a king
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. suit — in cards
  19. field — for sport
  20. present — there
  21. court — of law
  22. rest — what's left
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. game — wild animals

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