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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.

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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. band — a ring
  6. pit — in a race
  7. band — a music group
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pit — a hole
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. cell — in biology
  14. firm — steady
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. firm — a company
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. firm — decided
  23. cell — a phone
  24. kick — in football

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