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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — in cards
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. game — a match
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rest — what's left
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rest — a break
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. deal — to handle
  21. drill — a practice
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. suit — clothes

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