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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stand — to bear
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. suit — to fit
  10. swing — in golf
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. roll — a list
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. swing — music
  20. roll — a cake
  21. swing — to play on
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. roll — on a roll

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