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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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 — clothes
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. key — in music
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. object — a thing
  7. pit — a hole
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. key — for a lock
  10. object — to protest
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pit — in a race
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — the most important part
  18. suit — in cards
  19. content — happy
  20. object — an aim
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. content — the amount
  23. squash — to crush
  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