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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. kid — to tease
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. kid — child
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. craft — boats
  16. charge — a price
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fall — to drop
  21. charge — in control
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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