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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. band — a ring
  5. squash — the sport
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. squash — to crush
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. date — the fruit
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. band — a music group
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rule — government

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