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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. swing — to play on
  3. suit — to fit
  4. object — an aim
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. object — a thing
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bark — to shout
  19. object — to protest
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. swing — music
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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