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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cue — for pool
  3. suit — in cards
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mark — a trace
  6. suit — clothes
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mark — a grade
  13. game — a match
  14. pit — a hole
  15. field — a subject
  16. cue — a signal
  17. can — a tin
  18. game — wild animals
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pit — in a race
  21. can — a tin
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — for sport

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