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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fall — the season
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mate — a partner
  6. suit — clothes
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. swing — music
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rest — what's left
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fine — all right
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rest — a break
  24. rush — a thrill

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