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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. band — a ring
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. present — the time now
  6. deal — to handle
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rest — a break
  9. band — a music group
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. present — there
  16. rest — what's left
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rest — what's left
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. present — a gift

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