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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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rest — what's left
  3. land — a country
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. land — to come down
  7. mark — a grade
  8. key — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. saw — the tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rest — a break
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. land — ground
  21. key — for a lock
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mark — to pay attention

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