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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. racket — for tennis
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rock — music
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. hand — help
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fork — in a road
  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