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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. suit — clothes
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. court — of a king
  9. pass — a permit
  10. firm — steady
  11. band — a ring
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of law
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. band — a music group
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. band — a rubber band

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