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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mug — to rob
  3. drill — a practice
  4. date — the fruit
  5. mug — a face
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mug — a cup
  13. drill — the tool
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. suit — in cards
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. land — to come down
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. land — ground
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. land — a country
  23. drill — army training
  24. fan — a supporter

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