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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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. net — after costs
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. net — in sport
  10. present — there
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. present — the time now
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wake — a trail
  17. net — for catching
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — a weight
  23. present — a gift
  24. pound — to hit hard

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