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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — clothes
  4. foot — a measure
  5. spring — the season
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — in cards
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. drill — a practice
  10. face — part of the head
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mate — a friend
  13. drill — army training
  14. face — to point toward
  15. spring — a coil
  16. mate — to breed
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now
  19. spring — of water
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. drill — the tool
  22. face — to confront
  23. wound — an injury
  24. present — a gift

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