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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. last — final
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. last — to go on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rash — hasty
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. last — finally
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wound — an injury
  20. object — an aim
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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