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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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. saw — the tool
  4. season — in sport
  5. row — a line
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. season — of the year
  8. row — to paddle
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wake — a trail
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wake — before a funeral

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