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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. chest — a box
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fine — all right
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. chest — of your body
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chest — of your body
  23. suit — in cards
  24. dip — to sink

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