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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. saw — the tool
  4. present — there
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. present — a gift
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. suit — clothes
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. present — the time now
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. clip — a video
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. clip — for paper
  24. suit — to fit

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