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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. clip — for paper
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. clip — to cut
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pop — to visit
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pop — music
  15. game — wild animals
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — a partner
  18. suit — in cards
  19. clip — a video
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pop — soda
  22. pass — a permit
  23. sharp — clever
  24. game — a match

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