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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. wound — an injury
  7. swing — music
  8. board — a committee
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bat — the animal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. swing — to play on
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. board — to get on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wound — an injury
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fine — all right

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