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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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. rock — a stone
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. kid — child
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. rock — music
  12. pit — a hole
  13. kid — to tease
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. snap — to click
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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