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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. tube — the underground
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. tube — a container
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. kick — in football
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rock — music
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pound — a weight
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pitch — completely
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pound — for dogs

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