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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. bulb — for light
  3. court — of law
  4. staff — employees
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. staff — employees
  11. tear — from crying
  12. court — of a king
  13. tear — to rip
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mark — a grade
  19. court — for sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tear — from crying
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — a trace
  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