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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. suit — clothes
  4. content — happy
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bulb — for light
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. content — the amount
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. safe — out of danger

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