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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bound — tied together
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. chair — a leader
  13. capital — a city
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. hand — help
  17. rock — music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. capital — money
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. hand — in cards
  23. suit — in cards
  24. chair — a professorship

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