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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wake — a trail
  8. row — a line
  9. fine — all right
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. row — to paddle
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. staff — a stick
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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