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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cold — an illness
  3. fine — all right
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. fine — high quality
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cold — not warm
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. can — a tin
  11. ball — a great time
  12. net — after costs
  13. can — a tin
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. suit — clothes
  17. present — the time now
  18. ball — a dance
  19. present — there
  20. suit — in cards
  21. present — a gift
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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