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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. game — a match
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — a signal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. stand — to bear
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. game — wild animals
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rash — hasty
  17. cue — a hint
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cue — for pool
  24. game — a kind of play

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