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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 124 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. suit — in cards
  5. roll — a list
  6. swing — music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cold — not warm
  9. can — a tin
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. roll — a cake
  14. can — a tin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitch — completely
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. suit — to fit
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cold — an illness

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