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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. kid — to tease
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. craft — a skill
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. file — a line of people
  8. firm — steady
  9. stand — to bear
  10. kid — child
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. file — a document
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — decided
  15. suit — in cards
  16. firm — a company
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. craft — boats
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. file — a tool

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