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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. deal — to handle
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fine — all right
  5. suit — clothes
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stand — to bear
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rest — what's left
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hand — help
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rest — a break
  18. scale — in music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fine — high quality
  24. scale — for weighing

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