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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ball — a great time
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. row — to paddle
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ball — a dance
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. row — a line
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. kick — in football
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. stand — on your feet

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