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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. scale — in music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. game — wild animals
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. staff — employees
  8. file — a line of people
  9. staff — a stick
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. file — a document
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. suit — to fit
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. scale — size or range
  22. game — a match
  23. file — a tool
  24. staff — employees

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