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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wound — an injury
  5. spell — a short time
  6. capital — a city
  7. firm — steady
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. suit — clothes
  10. capital — money
  11. firm — decided
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. suit — in cards
  14. spell — magic
  15. firm — a company
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. spell — letters
  23. mate — a partner
  24. capital — a big letter

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