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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. key — in music
  6. mine — for digging
  7. key — the most important part
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mate — to breed
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rush — hurry
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lean — thin
  21. foot — a measure
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lean — to bend
  24. sharp — with an edge

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