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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. charge — in control
  6. cue — for pool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. spell — magic
  11. charge — a price
  12. spell — letters
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. spell — a short time
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. suit — in cards
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. charge — electricity

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